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How to Design a Successful Startup Website By Looking at What the Client Wants vs. What They Expect

There are an infinite number of ways to make a website. There are tropes and approaches that seem to work better than others. A great designer picks what works for them, adds in a taste of creative freshness, and crafts a final website that is splendid.

What often gets in the way of this Startup Web Design Denver process? The answer is the client. Web designers who are navigating a new relationship with a new upstart will need to manage some new challenges. How does an upstart web designer navigate the troubling waters of a client who is unfamiliar with the upstart style of web design?

The Disconnect with What Clients Ask For

The largest obstacle for any web developer is their client. There is a near-famous disconnect with clients. They do not know what to ask for. They do not know what to expect. But, they expect great things, regardless. The restaurant adage “the customer is always right” has to be refined for web design. If the customer is always right, the designer will be at work for years.

Web design is a technical field. Clients are often hiring a professional designer because they do not know how to do it. This, by design, creates the disconnect. How is a client going to ask for specifics if they are not aware of how it all works?

It is really the job of the designer to convey these details properly. A Startup Web Design Denver company will deal with clients that ask for too much, too little, things that probably won’t work, ideas that literally are impossible given the format, and many other things. The designer has to learn to draw the line, convey realistic expectations, and create an environment where creativity flourishes, but expectations are kept fair.

A comment such as “I want my website to run like Facebook” has so many problems. The designer has to redirect the request. They can begin by asking “what parts of Facebook do you enjoy the most?” or “what makes Facebook successful?” They can then follow that up with a practical series of responses about what makes Facebook work. They also convey why making a website just like Facebook is impractical at a functional level and unnecessary at a marketing level. A Denver Startup Company Website Design delivers on the needs of the client. It is all filtered through a voice that is logical and clear.

“I’ll Just Do That Later.”

Brand identity. It is the element that keeps a startup on the right track. It is uniform across the board. It incorporates the color palette, the call-to-actions, the typography used, and everything in between. Consider scriptwriting in Hollywood. Some movies seem like they are a chaotic mess, while others seem cohesive. There is likely a trend with films. The ones that are good were likely written by a single person or two who share screenwriting credits. The films that seem like a mess may have four or more screenwriters who are contributing to the story. In short, there are too many cooks in the kitchen- too many people with creative control messing up the cohesion that would otherwise be present from a single person.

Denver Startup Company Web Design works in a similar fashion. A big team could be great. But, it depends on how their tasks are organized. Is there a ringleader holding it together? Is the project going to look cohesive? Uniformity helps define what is known as the “clarity of purpose.” There are no clashing colors in a uniform design. The entire picture is complementary. A new startup resonates with consumers because of its crisp and clear brand identity.

One big problem is that a client may ask to do that later or they will get back to that. But, a clear vision and uniformity is vital. Adding new elements to a website “later” could disturb the branding and hurt the supposed final product. A designer needs to encourage as close to a final product as possible for website launch.

Designers are asking "How to Design a Successful Startup Website," and they are finding technical help. But, they often miss the troubling waters of the client. Navigating client needs and expectations remains the most challening part of design.